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New England Antiquities Research Association

Vote Planned on Town Purchase of Upton Chamber Site

Cathy Taylor

July 14, 2006

We had a unanimous vote of approval from Community Preservation Committee for financing the purchase of the 7 acres that the beehive stone chamber is on. Next will be a town meeting in August to have town’s people vote on this proposal to use CPC money to purchase the land. Concern with how to preserve the chamber and let people visit it in a careful way is an on-going discussion. Fred Meli, who was the NEARA key note speaker in May, has begun an archaeological assessment with his students assisting. We are still fund raising for support for after the land purchase has been made, so donations are still very much welcome. Donations can be made out to Upton Historical Committee, PO Box 222, Upton, MA 01568.

The town meeting will probably be three weeks away. There is some concern with getting the real estate transaction done in a timely manner. When I find the exact date I will let you know.

Thanks for all your interest and support with this project.

Also, the following article appeared in the Boston Globe and is © 2006 The New York Times Company.

Plans afoot to acquire cave site

By Charlie Russo, Globe Correspondent | July 13, 2006

The land surrounding a mysterious man-made cave, which some people contend was built hundreds of years before Columbus set sail, could become a great place for a family picnic in Upton.

Town officials want to purchase the 7.5-acre property surrounding the ``Upton Chamber" and transform it into a public park.

Plans for the site include a canoe launch at Mill Pond, a gazebo overlooking the water, and picnic tables. The land also might be linked to the Town Common with walking trails.

Barbara E. Burke, the Upton   Historical Commission's chairwoman, and other officials are to unveil their plans to the town's Community Preservation Committee during its meeting tonight.

Burke hopes the committee will support the use of Community Preservation Act money to purchase the property for   the $439,000 being asked by co-owners Gerald P. Guccione of Warwick, R.I., and Navinchandar Parthasarathy of Holliston.

``We would like to see the town own it for a town park, maybe an extension of the Town Common," Burke said. ``The cave would therefore be preserved and owned by the town, but it would also be a fantastic area to go for passive recreation, with walking trails and a place that
families could enjoy."

Upton has a history of buying land to preserve its rural character and protect open space. But two recent efforts to purchase land -- the Stockwell property and Sweetwilliam Farm -- have fallen flat with residents.

This effort is different from those failed attempts, officials said, because detailed plans have been made and the idea has widespread support.

The Historical Commission hired a consultant, Dodson Associates Ltd. of Ashfield, to study possible uses for the property. Peter Flinker, a principal at Dodson, said his company determined that housing or athletic fields at the site were impractical because of zoning and wetlands restrictions.

``Once you walk out there, you see it's a wonderful place for some kind of public park," Flinker said. ``Even within that small 7.5-acre property, there's a lot of variety in terms of people being able to walk around and enjoy nature. It's an interesting park opportunity."

The consultant is being paid $3,500 by the Community Preservation Committee for its work.

Selectwoman Marsha Paul supports the acquisition plan.

``It's certainly not my decision but I would like to see it become a park," she said. ``It's a huge benefit for not a lot of money. And it's tax dollars that have already been put aside. The CPC money is for historic preservation, open space, and affordable housing. Two of the three components comprise this property."

The chamber's history is controversial. Some see a root cellar built by early colonists, others a place of worship constructed by far-ranging Irish monks around the year 700, and still others a shelter created by Native Americans. Theories behind the cave's construction have been examined in several books.

There are also stone columns on nearby Pratt Hill that align with the cave entrance during the winter and summer solstices, which indicate that the cave might have been used as some kind of prehistoric calendar,   Burke said.

``We can document back 300 years," she said. ``The fact is that it may have other historic value and it could be stretched as far as 3,000 years."

Regardless of the cave's origins, town officials are backing the site's use as a recreational spot, and its purchase under the Community Preservation Act program.

``Why would you raise funds if you don't use it?" Paul wondered. ``You set that money aside so when these special parcels become available, you can purchase them."

Town Meeting voters must approve spending money from the Community Preservation Committee's budget, which is raised through a local property tax surcharge and matching funds from the state.

The committee is to meet at 7:30 tonight   in the professional development center at Nipmuc Regional High School at 90 Pleasant St.

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